Introduction
Prussian military theorist Carl Von Clausewitz described the term war as chameleon (Münkler, 2004). War forever change and adapt its appearance to the varying social political condition under which it is waged. The shift in political, social development, cultural change and technological advancement bring about new configurations. Consequently, wars forever assume new and different forms. The main factors that determine forms taken by war are the interdependence between strategic creativity, political rational and elemental violence.
The invasions over the available natural resources cause countries to fight so as to have free access and have full control of the benefits accrued from the investments (Schneider et al 1998). In the process of fighting the nations have innovated weapons of mass destruction in revenge to their enemies in case of an earlier attack. The deadly weapons range from missiles to nuclear weapons. With the high technology used in innovating weaponry, every country become vulnerable of attacks were there to be any provocative actions to the enemy. Some countries fight over the establishment of a certain religion as core source of rules, culture and norms. Therefore, the paper discusses the uncertainty in the twenty fist century and the causes of wars.
High technology weapons
The wars in the twenty first century will be an extension and acceleration of trends in the twentieth century. Advanced and technological developments tip the scale between defeat and victory. The enormous superiority and greater material resources in military guarantee will work towards countries like the United States of America to emerge winners from all wars that it seems to wage. The western countries that have rule of law and political participation will not depend on their well advanced economy only. These countries need to pursue technological advancement in military apparatus if they wish to retain military response capabilities.
The war will involve more sophisticated arms other than those found in the 19th century. Countries such as England and Germany in old days competed in the construction of mighty warships. The USSR and USA vied with each other in delivering nuclear systems. On the contrary, an asymmetrical competition between low-tech and high-tech weapon characterize the twenty first century wars. In the wars involves turning jet fuel into explosives and aircrafts in to rockets so that attacks can be planned and executed calmly and quietly (Münkler, 2004). A combination of war and speed were the main strategy used to hit US in the September attacks.
Strategic creativity does not unfold independently of the other two elements that is; the political rationality of decision makers and genuine violence of war. Symmetric deceleration of violence can effectively be applied where the overwhelming majority of the population resolves to use war a means of addressing political, social and economic problem.
Elemental violence
The latest forms of international terrorism are a serious threat to the nations of the world. Terrorist manage to overcome the use of asymmetric warfare constraints, which was proved to be effective for so long. Countries or militias extend enmity and hatred and as result use war as a political tool to fight for their interests. Countries, therefore, mobilize the civilian in guerrilla warfare. The enemies’ civilian infrastructure serves as the functional equivalent of countries’ civilian population. Civilians must sacrifice to fight for political and social problems (Münkler, 2004).
Moreover, in the twenty first century, trends suggests that population will see their chance for in waging wars and emerge as victors. There are growing environmental risks such as increasing desertification, water shortage, and rising sea levels. There is global unequal distribution of the consumer goods. The imbalances in demographic, living conditions and varying educational opportunities add to the woes people face. There are mass migrations of persons into other countries in search of greener pastures. In the stability of international finance is causing countries to fail in controlling their own currencies and economies. Finally, nations in the world are disintegrating into smaller units or countries. Schneider et al (1998) says that these are fertile grounds enough to suggest that people will resort to violent changes instead of peaceful development. War will be the best option and that guarantee them a future.
The use of forceful as a means for a good life in the future will become the key element of the people’s political reasoning. Civilians will not be ready to fight for vital resources and begin asymmetrical wars with superior adversaries.
Vulnerability of the world
Countries advancement in social-economic development is causing the superior adversaries to be highly venerable. They are venerability cannot be eliminated through military superiority whatsoever. The aim of US various projects, for example, seek to establish missile defense system to make itself invulnerable (Singer, 2009). The projects capabilities were tested in the September 11, 2001 attacks. It is in principle that war has become politically and economically unattractive for the developed countries. The costs of war exceed the returns. The post heroic countries embrace the preservation of human life, multiplication and intensification of individual sensations of well-being.
Ever since the end of World War II, the western societies justify armament on the grounds of defense. They state the purpose of such build-up is not for war preparation but rather to prevent war. All societies should follow western secularization politics, pluralization of values and social individualization. However, there are several fundamentalist movements fighting (Forest, 2007). They defend remnants of backward traditions and directly resist modernization alone western society line. The world is developing through cooperation and interchange of culture religion and civilization. The fight for the establishment of new rules for economic assets distribution will not be the only cause of violence. Education opportunities and necessities of life may accelerate the turmoil. The defense for culture identity could become a recurring reason for people going to war.
Above all, development theory that looks into optimistically to peace tends to over look some facts. It is a fact that, in the past decades, there has been social development through war. New opportunities have risen for profitable economies of developing countries based on war and violence. This has created lots of places to be vulnerable to war. The economic gains from the identified land or resources will be the main reason for launching fights.
Conclusion
The wars in the twenty first century in many cases will not be waged with massive tremendous and firepower military capabilities. They are likely to take a smouldering trend without clear beginning or end. On the other hand, the dividing lines between the warring parties internationally or locally become blurred. However one should not dispute that these trends cannot be the real cause of war. The chameleon of war in the 21st century will increasingly change its appearance (Coker, 2008). It will resemble in many respect the war waged from the fourteenth to seventeenth centuries.
References
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Münkler, H. (January 01, 2004). The wars of the 21st Century. A Manual of International
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Schneider, B. R., Grinter, L. E., & Air University (U.S.). (1998). Battlefield of the future: 21st
century warfare issues. Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala: Air University Press.
Singer, P. W. (2009). Wired for war: The robotics revolution and conflict in the twenty-first
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